​Hello! It's ThursYAY!! How's your week going? Are you accomplishing your goals this week?! Are you doing the 30 Day WAIST Challenge?! If so, do you find it challenging? Are you fitting it in your day? I am!! BUT...here's a story for you...i almost forgot to do the challenge the other day ;)​I started the challenge going strong! Day 1...crushed it! Day 2...crushed it!! Day 3...crushed it!!! Day 4...crushed it!!!! Day 5...got in bed for the night and remembered that I hadn't done the challenge yet :0 WTHeck (and that's putting it nicely)!!! I was dead tired!! I could have just went to sleep, but was determined to do the challenge exactly as I posted it! So...moaning out loud, I got my butt out of bed. It took me longer then normal to complete the exercises BUT I DID IT :D Feeling proud of myself, I drank a glass of water and hopped into bed again! Surely I'd fall asleep at lightning speed, right?! Nope!! I was WIDE AWAKE!!! I seriously tossed and turned for 2 hours before I fell asleep! It ended up being a long night!! Learn from me...this is why we should try and exercise at the same time each day :D I woke up this morning and completed the challenge! Check!!

MUSCLES...we train hard to show them off at the beach or to look awesome in our clothes! Of course, we do!! We're human and it makes us feel good when people notice :D There are more then 600 muscles in the body, which together account for about 40 percent of a person's weight. When you want to get from here to there, you call on the right muscles to put you in motion. Keep reading...maybe you'll learn a thing or two to keep you strong and moving forward ;)

​It takes more then 1 muscle to change your shape. Focusing on a single muscle makes it stronger but won't magically burn off the fat layer on top. Bummer, right? You need to build more muscle everywhere. That helps you burn more total calories all day long, which melts that unwanted fat. Be efficient by doing exercises that work many muscles at one time, such as squats, push-ups, planks, and burpees. Of course, aerobic activities like brisk walking, swimming, and cycling helps burn fat too.

​When you ask your muscles to do something that they're not used to, they're going to complain a little the next day. You get little tears in the fibers, which lead to inflammation that you experience as "ouch." The good news...while your body mends those stress out muscles, it gives them a little extra power on the theory that "we need to get stronger if this person's going to keep doing this." Until they finish knitting themselves back together, ease the next day aches with a warm bath or heating pad. Do a little activity to boost circulation, which brings in nutrient-rich blood to help them heal.

​Not everyone loses muscle as they age if you treat them right. In a study that compared MRI images of the legs of 40 year old athletes to athletes in their 70's, both looked identically lean and healthy. By contrast, sedentary 70 year olds were nearly half fat, with some weak, flabby muscle in the middle. The athletes in both age groups did a lot of exercise to keep their legs strong for 4 to 5 days a week, To hold on to the muscle you have, move around as much as you can and do 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity plus 2 sessions of strength training. ​

​Do you ever find yourself starting to pack on some sexy solid muscle then the progress halts? That's not the kind of progress you're sweating for, right?! But despite your continued efforts, your body refuses to grow any bigger. Keep reading and the following are a few ways to optimize your training, so you can get back to building the body you want ;)

​- Are you getting enough sleep?If you're not getting quality sleep each night, your muscles won't grow. If you're not sleeping, then you're not improving! Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night!! You got this!!!

​- Are you eating enough protein?If you want to look more pumped, you need to pump up the protein :D Protein contains amino acids, the compounds that help build and repair muscle tissue. Shoot for 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight each day.

​- Are you OVERtraining?Not only does overtraining increase your risk of injury and bordom, it can delay your progress too. If you're not taking time away from your workout, your body doesn't have time to rebuild itself stronger and bigger then it was before.

- Are you cutting out carbs?​NOT all carbs are the enemy! When you're low on carbs, you're not giving your muscles the glycogen they need to crush the weights hard. Add oatmeal, whole grains, quinoa, beans, and fruit to your diet.

​- Are you dehydrated?​Water is SOOO important! I can't say this enough!! When you don't get enough water, it can negatively impact your progress. When you're not properly hydrated, it's more difficult to crush it during your workout, which can impact your results. If you're thirsty, your body is telling you that it's dehydrated, so drink plenty of water! Drink it up!!

​- Do you switch things up?​Your muscles need to be worked out at different angles and intensities to remain challenged. Change up your workout program every 6 to 8 weeks. Put on some new music, throw in some new exercises, and mix it up with your weight and rep selections :)

​Do you have ANY comments or questions? If you do, I'd love to hear from you! Just leave a message in the comments section!! ​I hope you enjoy the rest of the week! Make it sweaty and productive...lol! ​I'll be posting again on Monday! Make sure to check back in!! HAPPY ThursYAY :D